Even as kids, we thought this Japanese TV series was a laugh. Just so cheap and hokey. We changed the opening sequence to, "You shouldn't have shot him. Always remember, bullets cost two yen a piece". And their Leader, Phantom Agent Fantar, became Phantom Leader Fat Arse. 'Nuff said. Almost.
What do I remember? The crew of Phantom Agents, complete with the token female and apprentice child agent, (the latter being taught the gentle art of garroting, shooting, knifing etc.), their cheesy commando uniforms making them look like drop outs from the Israeli Army, motoring around Japan in their huge, lurching open top Yank Tank convertible. Lots of scenes shot in cold, flat, gravelly wilderness areas that looked like Tokyo garbage dumps. Clumsy in and out camera shots. (Maybe caused by frozen photographers' hands.)Interior shots (usually cheap,easy-to-find warehouses)where you can see the frost on the hapless actors' breath. Obviously heating was not in the budget. Nor a real studio. I wonder how many actors and extras had to be treated for hypothermia and frostbite.
If you want to see what a big budget home movie looks like, watch Phantom Agents. But unlike Peter Jackson's funny but ridiculously shoestring budget "In Bad Taste", this one actually tries to be taken seriously.
And the hokey theme tune that sounded like it was plagiarised from Paul Anka's theme for "The Longest Day". La la la, la la la la......
And who came up with the organization of evil called "Snig Zee", and its minions, the "Black Flags".
"The Samurai" TV series on Channel 9 attained cult status with us Aussie baby boomer kids, and it inspired a whole generation of us to fashion star knives from bottle tops, and fantasize about being ninjas. Eger ninjas, that is, not the evil Koga ninjas. But Phantom Agents? It came later when Channel 7 tried to cash in on "The Samurai"'s success, but even kids have standards.
